





History 

of 

The Evangelical Lutheran Church 
of Georgetown, D. C. 

Wisconsin Ave. & Volta Place, N. W. 

Washington, District of Columbia 
1769-1909. 




P«par?li fur % (§nt l^nnhttli mli JITortiPlIi Anmopraarg 

By the Pastor 

Rev. Luther Hess Waring, Ph.D. 
October 31, 1909 




Qass -2.0 2. 



History 

of 

The Evangelical Lutheran Church 
of Georgetown, D. C. 

Wisconsin Ave. ^ Volta Place, N. W. 

Washington, District of Columbia 

1769-1909. 




J^rfparpri fur tl)e ©itf l|untirpJi atiti IffnrtiPtl) AnmuprBary 

By the Pastor 
Rev. Luther Hess Waring, Ph.D. 

October 31, 1909 



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Present (Third) Church Building. 
Erected 1867. 



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"The Lutheran chiirch in tliis coun- 
try is of very great pozver numerically 
and through the intelligence and thrift 
of its members, but it will groic stead- 
ily to even greater pozcer. It is destined 
to be one of the tivo or three greatest 
churches and most important national 
churches in the United States; one of 
the tzvo or three churches most dis- 
tinctly American, among the forces 
that are to tell for making this great 
country even greater in the future. 
Therefore, a peculiar load of respon- 
sibility rests upon the members of this 
church." 

Ex-President Roosevelt, in an ad- 
dress in Luther Place Memo- 
rial Church, Washington, P. 
C, January 2q, too^. 



HISTORY. 

Georgetown — now a part of the city of Washington, 
D. C. — was laid out under an act of the English province 
of Maryland, dated June 8. 1751, which authorized com- 
missioners "to lay out and erect a town on the Potomac 
River, above the mouth of Rock Creek, in Frederick County. 
Md." Tt was incorporated December IS, 1789, by act of 
the General Assembly of Maryland of that date — the very 
year of the estalilishment of the government of the Ignited 
States. 

The act to locate the seat of the national government on 
the banks of the Potomac was passed by Congress and 
approved July 16, 1790, and under its provisions the seat 
of government, beginning" with the year 1800, was located 
permanently at Washington. The authority of the go\- 
ernment of the United States over the District of Columbia 
"in full and absolute right and exclusive jurisdiction as well 
of soil as of persons residing or to reside thereon, became 
vested on the first Monday of December, 1800."'^ 

According to the census of 1800 the inhabitants of the city 
of Washington numbered 3,210, most of whom were work- 
men employed on the ])ul)lic 1)uildings; the population of 
(ieorgetown was 2,903; and the total ])opulation of the Dis- 
trict of Columbia, then containing 100 s(|uare miles, and in- 
cluding Alexandria and surrounding territory, was 14,093. 
It can readily be seen, therefore, that thirty-one years earlier, 
in 1769, when the so-called P>eatty and Hawkins addition to 
Georgetown was laid out and a lot therein was donated to 
the Lutherans for church, school, and burial purposes, the 
population of Georgetown, including slaves, colored free- 
men, aliens, and all, was probably not more than between 
one and two thousand at most. 



^Cranch's Circuit Covirt Reports, Vol. 1, pp. 15-21, 102. 



The records of the County Clerk's office of Frederick 
County, Maryland, show the original grant of this property, 
which is still held and occupied by the Evangelical Lutheran 
Church of Georgetown, on the northwest corner of the 
streets now known as Wisconsin Avenue and Volta Place. 
The record reads as follows •} 

"At the request of Charles Beatty and George Fraser 
Hawkins, the following deed was recorded the 17th 
day of May, A. D. 1770, to-wit: 'Be it known unto 
all persons whom it may concern that we, George 
Fraser Hawkins, of Prince George's County, in the 
Province of Maryland, and Charles Beatty, of Fred- 
erick County and Province aforesaid, gentlemen, hav- 
ing purchased piart of a tract of land called Knaves' 
Disappointment, lying and being in Frederick County, 
in the Province aforesaid, and adjoining Georgetown, 
formerly the property of Mr. George Gordon, late 
of Frederick County, deceased, and now conveyed to 
us for 208 acres and five-sixteenths of an acre. we. 
for the enlargement of Georgetow'n aforesaid and for 
the general public benefit, have laid off the said land 
into 304 lots or parcels of ground, divided by proper 
streets and lanes, as by a particular plot hereto annexed 
will more fully appear. Four of said lots we give to 
public uses, to-wit : one for building on. a church for 
the use of the Church of England, one for a Calvinist 
church, one for a Lutheran church, and the other for 
a market house, as specified in said plot, which said 
four lots, together with all the streets and lanes, as 
specified in said plot, we hereby alien, enfeoff, release 
and confirm and by these presents do alien, enfeoff, re- 
lease, confirm and make over to the public for their use 
the said lots, streets and lanes forever. To have and 
to hold the same without any molestation of us or either 
of us, or our or either of our heirs, or assigns, or anv 
person or persons whatsoever claiming by, from, or un- 



bLand Record W., folio 254. 



6 

der us. tlieni or any of tlicm. and for the remaining 
300 lots we have conchided to dispose of them by way 
of lottery to consist of 300 tickets to be drawn in 
])resence of Alessrs. Adam Stewart, Thomas Johns. 
William Deakins, Jr., and Jeremiah Turner, trustees 
and managers appointed by us for drawing said lot- 
tery, who are to act on oath ; the several indentures" 
(adventurers ( ?)) "paying us ten ])ounds currency per 
ticket and to receive the several lots drawn against 
the number of each ticket; we to survey the said lots 
and stake them at each corner and give sufficient deeds 
of conveyance to the several indentiUTs" (adventur- 
ers ( ?) ), ''(subject to a ground rent of one penny ster- 
ling per lot per annum), when we shall be called there- 
to, as also, at our own ])roper cost and charge, to have 
this instrument of writing, together with the plot here- 
to annexed, recorded in the public records of Frederick 
County aforesaid, and a duplicate of said plot lodged 
in the hands of the Commissioners or Trtistees for 
Georgetown for the time being. And for the faith- 
ful performance of the above, we hereby bind our- 
selves, our heirs, executors and administrators in the 
penalty of 5,000 pounds current money. 

"In witness whereof, we have hereunto affixed our 
hands and seals the second day of February, in the 
}-ear of our Lord 1770. 

"(Signed) Geo. Fraser Hawkins [Seal] 
"(Signed) C. Beatty [Seal] 

"Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of 
Gliomas Price, Zeph. Turner. 

"At the like request, the following plan or plot of 
the addition to Georgetown was recorded on the same 
(lav, the same plot or plan being annexed to the above 
deed." 

The plot on file, in accordance with the above statement, 
marks the lot on the northwest corner of Fourth and High 
Streets, now Volta Place and \\^isconsin Avenue, respec- 
tively, "for the Lutherian Church." 



Another record of importance and interest to our con- 
gregation is an act passed by the Legislature of Maryland, 
December 31, 1796. authorizing commissioners to survey 
certain streets, lanes and lots in said Beatty and Hawkins' 
addition to Georgetown, and to establish and fix permanent 
boundaries. This act sets forth that the streets and lots in 
this addition were originally laid out in 1769. The United 
States Supreme Court, in reviewing our title to this prop- 
erty in 1829, also gave the date of the original grant of 
this property to us as in 1769. The lots were laid out. 




,'"\ 



liM 






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First Church Building. 

Erected 1769. 

(Drawn from Description.) 



therefore, and our lot was donated to the Lutheran church 
some months before any papers in the case were put on file. 
A log church was at once erected on this lot by the German 
Lutherans who lived in Georgetown and along Rock Creek, 
and services were conducted more or less irregularly by 
various non-resident ministers, whose services from time 
to time could be secured ; and this structure thus ante- 
dated any other Lutheran church or parochial school build- 



8 

ing in what is now the District of Cokimbia by 64 years. 
Tradition says that George Washington attended at least 
one service in this church. The founder of Georgetown 
Presbyterianism, Rev. Stephen Bloomer Balch, D. D., held 
his first services for his people in this Lutheran church about 
1780. The church appears to have been under the fostering 
care of the famous Lutheran missionary preachers — the 
Muhlenbergs. Rev. Peter Muhlenberg, the "fighting par- 
son" of Woodstock, Va., made missionary tours in many 
directions seeking to gather together the scattered members 
of his faith. For a time, in 1779, owing to their inabilitv 
to secure a Lutheran pastor, the congregation was served 
by an Episcopal minister of the name of Brooke. A Ger- 
man minister from Philadelphia served them during part 
of the year 1796. Another German minister was secured 
in 1799. The difficulty of securing permanent pastoral 
oversight will be well understood when it is borne in mind 
that in that age the num1)er of Lutherans in what is now 
the United States was but a few thousand. They had but 
few ministers, and not a single denominational college or 
theological seminary in the country from which to draw for 
pastors, as the first Lutheran theological seminai-y in the 
United States — that at Hartwick, N. Y. — was founded in 
1797. 

The lot thus donated to us was exempt from taxation 
from the time of the original grant. Tt was used froiu 
the start for burial ])urp().ses. and three of the oldest tomb- 
stones still standing near the present church tell the storv of 
life and death in the latter part of the eighteenth century. 
Their early inscriptions read as follows : 

"Died 1778, October 15th. Here Lycth the Body of Margeret 

Herman. Age, 70." 
"In memory of Mary Morris. Daughter of Randeal and 

Rchekah Morri.s-. Born June 4. 1702. Died Sept. to, 

1793" 
"In memory of Elizabeth Morris, Daughter of Randeal and 

Rebekah Morris. Born Jan. 10, 1795. Died June 25, 

1796." 

In 1825 Daniel Kurtx, Daniel Bussard, and John Goszler, 
Trustees of this German Lutheran Church of Georgetown, 
entered .suit against Charles A. Beatty and John T. Ritchie, 





seeking a settlement of the title and the issuance of an in- 
junction against them prohibiting their removal of tomb- 
stones, disturbing the congregation's peaceful possession 
and enjoyment of the church property, and praying for gen- 
eral relief. Upon hearing in the Circuit Court of the 
District of Columbia and County of Washington, said 
Court, in 1826, decreed a perpetual injunction against the 
defendants,'^ who then appealed to the Supreme Court of 
the United States. This latter Court, the highest in our 
country, affirmed the decree of the Circuit Court, confirm- 
ing to the congregation its perpetual use and enjoyment of 
the property still occupied on the corner of Wisconsin Ave- 
nue and Volta Place. So far as we know, this is the only 
church property in the entire General Synod, the title to 
which has been passed on by the United States Supreme 
Court. 

In delivering the opinion of the Supreme Court in this 
case, in January, 1829. Justice Jose]ih Story reviewed the 
following historical facts : 

"Georgetown was erected into a town, by an act of 
the legislature of Maryland, passed in 1751, ch. 25. 
By subsequent acts, additions were made to the terri- 
torial limits of the town ; and the town was created a 
corporation, with the usual municipal officers, by an 
act of the Maryland legislature, passed in 1789. ch. 23. 



"In the year 1769. Charles Beatty and George F. 
Hawkins laid out a town, known by the name of 
Beatty and Hawkins's addition to Georgetown, and 
which is now included within its corporate limits. The 
lots of this addition were disposed of by way of lot- 
tery, under the direction of commissioners appointed 
to lay out the same, and conduct the drawing of the 
lottery. The books of the lottery and the plan of the 
lots, and a connected survey thereof, were afterwards, 
by act passed in 1796, ch. 54, ordered to be recorded 



<=See Cranch's Circuit Court Reports, Vol. 2. 



10 

in the clerk's otfice for the territory of Cohunbia. and 
copies thereof to be good exidence in all courts of law 
and equity in the state. r])on the original plan, so 
recorded, one lot was marked out and inscribed with 
these words, 'for the Lutheran Church." 

"It is proved, that, shortly after the appropriation, 
and more than lift}- years ago" (these words were 
written in 1829) "the Lutherans of Georgetown pro- 
ceeded to erect a log-house on the lot, which was used 
as a church for public worship, by that denomination 
of Christians; and was also occasionally, and at dif- 
ferent times since, used as a schoolhouse, under their 
direction. That at a much later period, a steeple and 
bell were added to the building; that the land was used 
as a churchyard ; that a sexton appointed by Lutherans 
had the direction of it ; that more than half of the 
lot is covered with graves; and others, as well as 
Lutherans, ha\e been buried there ; that the Lutherans 
have caused the lot to be inclosed, from time to time, as 
the fences fell into deca}-, and procured subscriptions 
for that purpose ; that the possession of the Lutherans, 
in the manner in which it was exercised over the lot, 
by erecting a house, by public worship, by inclosing 
the ground, and by burials, was never questioned by 
Charles Beatt}' in his lifetime, nor anv manner dis- 
turbed, until a short period before the commencement 
of the present suit. That Charles Beatty, in his life- 
time constantly a\'o\\ed, that the lot was appropriated 
for the Lutherans, and that they were entitled to it. 

''The Lutherans have constituted but a small num- 
ber in the tcnvn of Georgetown ; they have not been 
able, therefore, to maintain public worship constantly 
in the house so t'recled, diu'ing the whole period; and 
sometimes, it has been intermitted for a considerable 
length of time. But efforts have been constantly 
made, so far as practicable, fo keep together a con- 
gregation, to use the means of divine worship, and to 
support public preaching. The house, however, in 
consequence of inevitable decay, fell down some time 
ago; the exact period of which, however, does not 



11 

appear; but it seems to have been more than forty 
years after its first erection. Efforts have since been 
made to rebuild it, but hitherto they have not been 
successful. The Lutherans in Georgetown who have 
possessed the lot in question, are not, and never have 
been, incorporated as a religious society. The con- 
gregation has consisted of a voluntary society, acting, 
in its general arrangement, by committees and trus- 
tees, chosen from time to time by the Lutherans belong- 
ing to it. There do not appear to have been any for- 
mal records kept of their proceedings; and there have 
been periods of considerable intermission in their ap- 
pointment and action."'' 

In this suit, the trustees in 1826 declared "themselves 
to be trustees of and agents for the German Lutheran 
Church, composed of the members of the German Lutheran 
Church of Georgetown, duly orgaui.zed as such." The 
court unquestionably recognized that an organized, unin- 
corporated Lutheran congregation existed here as early as 
1769, and that this congregation held the lot in question 
both by grant and possession. 



But few names of the early Lutherans of Georgetown 
ha\e come down to us, as no official church or pastoral rec- 
ords of those years are now in existence. One name, how- 
ever, of nearly a century ago, stands out clearly and promi- 
nently, in college, in the gospel ministry, and in the field 
of science alike. William H. Smith, the son of Lewis 
Smith, was born in Georgetown, D. C., October 8, 1816. 
Me entered the Gettysburg, Penna., Gymnasium, and pur- 
sued his studies until his graduation in 1834 — thus being 
a member of the iirst graduating class of what is now 

tiSec the case of "Charles A. Bcatty and John T. Ritchie, Appellants, 
vs. Daniel Kurtz and others. Trustees of the German Lutheran Church 
of Georgetown, Appellees," Ignited States Reports, Vol. 27 (Peters 2), 
p. 565 et scq. The original records in this case are to be found in the 
office of the Clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States, in the 
Capitol. 



12 

Pennsylvania College, the oldest Lutheran College in the 
United States, on which occasion he delivered the Latin 
salutatory. This was the first Lutheran college commence- 
ment in America, and its date was September 17, 1834. Mr. 
Smith entered the Lutheran ministry, and served congre- 
gations at Charleston, S. C, as assistant to Rev. Dr. J. 
Bachman ; at Barren Hill, Penna. ; St. Louis, Mo., and 
Baltimore, Md. He received the degree of Doctor of Medi- 
cine, but when and where we have not been able to ascer- 
tain. In 1840 he was married to Caroline C. Trescott, of 
Charleston, S. C. Interested in scientific studies, he de- 
voted special attention to chemistry and electricity, and 
made a number of inventions, one of which was for the 
utilization of iron furnace slag, particularly for paving pur- 
poses. It was while visiting London, England, seeking the 
introduction of this invention there, that he died. 



The log church of 1769 having fallen into decay, after a 
lapse of some years a second building — a frame structure — 
was erected about the year 1835. This was used, like the 
first building, more or less irregularly as a house of worship 
and, perhaps, as a parish school as well at times, up to a 
period within the memory of people still living, as it was 
still standing at the time of the Civil War. 

The Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Maryland and the 
General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the 
United States of America were both organized in 1820, 
at which time it is estimated there were but 170 pastors, 
850 congregations, and 35,000 communicant members in the 
Lutheran Church in the entire United States. The George- 
town congregation continued its independent and struggling 
existence for another half century before it became con- 
nected with any synod, and received no assistance from 
other congregations or from the Maryland Synod, on whose 
territory it was located. 

At the annual convention of that Synod held at Frederick, 
Md., in 1842. the committee on the president's annual re- 
port declared it to be their opinion "that there are several 



13 

other stations even within the bounds of our own Synod, 
which should be occupied as missionary grounds; and if so 
occupied and aided but partiahy for a year or two, they 
would then be able to sustain ministers of themselves, and 
become important auxiliaries in co-operating with us in ex- 
lending the Redeemer's kingdom. They allude to Balti- 
more City and County. Washington City and Georgetown 
in the District of Columbia, and Frederick and Carroll 
Counties." 

In the light of this recommendation, the following reso- 
lution was adopted by the said convention : 

"Whereas, for various reasons it is deemed im- 
portant that missionary stations should be established 
in Washington City and Georgetown, D. C, with a 
view to the future formation of English Lutheran 
churches there, therefore, 

"Resolved, that our worthy brother. Rev. Dr. Mul- 
ler, is hereby authorized to proceed to said places and 
pursue such measures as he may consider proper and 
in accordance with the views of this Synod, to com- 
mence a missionary station in each place ; and as we 
entertain entire confidence in his piety and prudence, 
he is herewith recommended to the attentions of our 
Lutheran brethren and those friendly to our church 
in Washington and Georgetown, in the hope that they 
will co-operate with him in the accomplishment of the 
purpose in view." 

In accordance with these instructions, the Rev. A. A. 
Muller, D. D., organized St. Paul's English Lutheran 
Church, corner of 11th and H Streets, N. \\\, in 1843,'' but 
took no steps to strengthen the Georgetown work. 

Two years later, when Rev. J. G. Butler. D. D.. was its 
pastor, the Maryland Synod met in the new St. Paul's 
Church, and passed the following resolution : 



eTen years before this, in 1833, Concordia Church, corner of 20th 
and G Streets, N. W., was organized on the basis of a combination of 
the Lutheran and the Reformed faitlis, but its services were held 
in the German language. 



14: 

''Resolved, that the officers of Synod be a committee 
to examine into property which is beheved to belong 
to the Lutheran Church in Georgetown." 

The minutes of this body for the following years, how- 
e\er, do not make any further reference to this appoint- 
ment or give any report from this committee ; and the 
Georgetown Lutherans continued their struggling existence 
alone for two more decades. The small frame church 
erected about 1835 continued its humble but faithful serv- 
ice, but without any regular permanent or resident pastoral 
or synodical oversight, down into the sixties, as people yet 
living distinctly recall its existence then. 

In 1864 Rev. Dr. Butler, then president of Maryland 
Synod, recommended to that body "that Georgetown and 
Alexandria" (among other places), "both flourishing cities, 
the latter destined to become one of the chief commercial 
cities of the Old Dominion, and in neither of which our 
church has a representative, should not be neglected." It 
was thereupon unanimcjusly resolved by the Synod : "That 
Brother Butler and his people he encouraged to prosecute 
the work of establishing mission churches in Washington. 
Georgetown and Alexandria, and that these missions, as 
soon as established, be recommended to the fostering care 
of the executive committee of the Home Missionarv So- 
ciety." 

The first definite move, however, towards a permanent 
formal organization of the Georgetown Lutherans came 
from another direction. On June 24, 1866, at the residence 
of Henry A. Kaiser, a German Lutheran congregation was 
formally organized with the purpose of continuing the work 
of the church on the Georgetown propert}- and making 
use of it. There were ten charter members, namelv : George 
F. Wetzerich, H. B. Wisner, John Kaiser, Henry A. Kaiser. 
T. Rosenbusch, J. C. Kaiser. Charles Memmert, Conrad 
W'olz, Gottlieb LIurlebaus. and George Kraft. Thev elected 
John Kaiser president, George F. Wetzerich secretary, and 
Charles Memmert treasurer. Eleven other gentlemen soon 
afterward joined the organization : W. Hucles, John Hoel- 

mann, John F. Winkel, John Wagner, Wm. Vogt, 

Pimper, A. Ackershausen, John Ackershausen, George 



15 

Schlos'ser. Charles Altniansberger, and Valentine Maenger. 
On June U , 1<S67, James Gossler, Henry C. Kaiser. 
H. B. Wisner, J. C. Kaiser and George F. Wetzerich were 
elected by the congregation, and on the 22d of the follow- 
ing month were properly confirmed by the Supreme Court 
of the District of Columbia as trustees of the German 
Lutheran Congregation of Georgetown, D. C. It was de- 
cided to build a one-story brick building for church and 
parochial school purposes: and Rev. Samuel D. Finckel, 
V). L)., then i)astor of Concordia Lutheran Church, of this 




Rev. Samuel D. Finckel. D. 1)., 
Pastor 1867-1868. 



city, was cliosen ])astor of the congregation. 11ie contract 
for the new building \vas given to R. Hazel, of Georgetown, 
for the sum of $2,750. The building was to be 1"^ feet wirle 
and 45 feet long. The cornerstone of this third church 
built on this site was laid Monday, September 2. 1867, by 
the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Dis- 
trict of Columbia, with the historical oavel used bv Geor^-e 



16 

Washington in laying- the cornerstone of the U. S. Capitol. 
The Evening Star of September 3, 1867, gives the follow- 
ing account of this interesting event : 



"Affairs in Georgetown. Cornerstone Laying. 

"About 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon the ceremonies 
of laying the cornerstone of the new German Lutheran 
chapel and school house took place at the corner of 
High and Fourth Streets. At 5 o'clock the children 
of the Sabbath School met at Harmony Hall, on Greene 
Street, and forming in procession, headed by the Ma- 
rine Band under Professor Scala, marched to Masonic 
Hall on High Street, where the Grand Lodge of Free 
and Accepted Masons of the District were in waiting, 
and the line taking up its march, proceeded to the 
building site. The exercises opened with an ode by 
the German Sacngerbund of Washington, under the 
leadership of Charles Richter, after which the Rev. 
S. D. Finckel ofifered up a feeling prayer. The same 
gentleman delivered an eloquent address reviewing the 
history of the Lutheran Church, and closed with a few 
remarks in the German language. Mr. Finckel was 
followed by a beautiful ode by the Masonic Choir, un- 
der the directorship of Mr. Dawson. The imposing 
ceremonies of laying the stone with Masonic honors, 
under the conductorship of Deputy Grandmaster Don- 
aldson, then took place, and was witnessed by hun- 
dreds of ladies and gentlemen inside and outside the 
enclosure. At the conclusion of the Masonic exercises 
the choir sang a hymn, and. after music by the Marine 
Band and prayer and benediction by Rev. Mr. Finckel. 
the exercises closed with singing by the Washington 
Saengerbund. Many Knight 1>mplars from Wash- 
ington were ])resent in regalia. The stone contained 
specimens of German and American silver coin. United 
States fractional currency, and the names of the trus- 
tees and copies of German pul)lications, and a copy of 
the Star and other journals. 1^he building of the 
cluirch is to be i)ushed to rapid completion. It is lo- 



17 

cated on the site of a very old burial place, and the 
headstones, many of them dated early in the last cen- 
tury, will be preserved in their places." 

The following further facts as to this cornerstone laying- 
are given in another Washington newspaper of same date 
as the above. Rev. Dr. Finckel's sermon on the occasion 
was based on the text: ''Lord, I have loved the habitation 
of Thy house, and the place where Thine honour dwelleth" 
(Psalms xxvi:8). A history of the church from its foun- 
dation and a copy of Luther's catechism were also deposited 
in the cornerstone. The fund already raised by the liberal 
subscriptions of the German Lutherans to the work was 
considerably augmented by contributions received at the 
cornerstone laying from those assembled to witness the 
ceremonies. The original intention appears to have been to 
complete the structure in three months, and hold church 
and Sunday school services in it on the Sabbath and a Ger- 
man school during the week; but the day school was not 
a very great success, and "through mismanagement, im- 
proper cjualifications in some of the teachers, and want of 
proper support, operated to bring the school into disrepute, 
and prevent its being of any advantage to the church." 



The services rendered this small congregation by Rev. 
Dr. Finckel were in connection with or in addition to his 
work as pastor of the Concordia Church. He did not serve 
or supply Georgetown very long, however, because on the 
16th of November, 1868, a very pressing invitation was ex- 
tended by this congregation to Rev. J. J- Suman, then living 
in Washington, and engaged in the government service, 
to preach for them. On Sunday, January 3, 1869, he re- 
ceived a formal call to become pastor of the church, and he 
accepted it. Rev. George Diehl, D. D., of Frederick, Md., 
president of the Maryland Synod, reported to that body at 
its meeting in the fall of 1869: "Rev. J. J. Suman was 
installed by myself on the 24th of January, as pastor of the 
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Georgetown. Dr. Finckel 



18 

and Rev. (I. L. Kc-itz were on the conimiltee, but were both 
providentially hindered from attending." Rev. Mr. Suman 
was thus the first permanent pastor formally installed by 
.nuhority <»f any synod over this little band of Lutherans 
tenaciously clinging to a confession of faith (the Augsburg" 
Confession), then 339 years old, and to a Georgetown lot 
donated for Lutheran church purposes just a century before 
that installation. The pastorate was received into the 
Marvland Synod, and reported t(^ that body in the fall of 




Rev. J. J. Sum. AN, 
Pastor Tanuarv. 1869-1S71. 



1(S()^), 25 cominunicant mem])ers in the church, and 10 ofii- 
cers a.nd teachers, and hO scholars in the Sunday School. 

On h'ebruar)' 27, 1870, during the ministry of Rev. Mr. 
Snnian, it was i-esol\-ed, b_\' a x'ote of tlie trustees, that "here- 
after the church building be devoted exclusively to church 
]nn-poses." There was some bitter feeling over this action, 
as the C'lermans took offense at it and ceased attending 



19 

church services and Sunday school ; but the German day 
school was closed, and no German has been used since that 
time in church or school. One of the old heirlooms still 
possessed and highly prized by the congregation, coming- 
down from its early history, is its large old German pulpit 
bible, printed in Tuebingen, Germany, in 1730. 

On Sunday, June 5, 1870, the church, having been re- 
painted, papered, supplied with gas, and renovated, was re- 
dedicated to the worship of Almighty God. Drs. Butler, 
Finckel and Bates participated in the exercises. A masonic 
choir led the singing on this occasion. 

On October 30, 1870, an English congregation was regu- 
larly and constitutionally organized, supplanting all prior 
organization, with an even dozen members, beside the 
pastor. The list is as follows: 

Rev. John J. Suman, Geo. \^^etzerich, John Wagner, 
Henry Gross, Benjamin Keller, John W. Eli, Agnes Suman. 
Mrs. Margaret Macomb, Christiana Hane, Ida Easton, Kate 
Keller, Mrs. Gross, and ^Irs. P. Emerick. 

The records do not give the date of Rev. Mr. Suman's 
resignation, but it must have been within a few months 
after this organization of the strictly English congregation, 
inasmuch as Rev. George A. Nixdorff was invited to visit 
the field with a view to becoming pastor. The chronicler 
adds that "he visited us. was pleased, and on the first Sun- 
day in April, 1871, he preached his first sermon as pastor 
of the church." He was never formally installed, however, 
according to the rules of the church. 

At the annual meeting of the Maryland Synod, in the fall 
of 1871, there were reported 11 communicant members in 
the church, and 7 teachers and 45 scholars in the Sunday 
school. The reorganized congregation was received into 
connection with Maryland Synod, and was represented that 
year, 1871, by its first lay delegate. Mr. John W. Eli. At 
this Synod the pastor reported: "The attendance on public 
worship as increasing,' the Sabbath school as improving, and 
the prayer meeting as being well attended. The little con- 
gregation manifests commendable spirit of liberality, and 
deserves the fostering care of Synod." 

A debt of $1,800 that rested on the congregation at the 
beginning of Mr. Suman's pastorate was successfully pairl 



20 

i)iT tlirougli the assiduous efforts of Pastors Suuian and 
Nixdorff and a donation of $500 from l\Iar}-land Synod. 
Rev. Mr. Nixdorff continued as ])astor until June 3, 1894, 
making a most faithful and self-sacrificing pastorate of more 
than 23 years, for he ne\er received any financial return from 
this congregation through all those years. On May 29, 
1886, articles of incorporation were taken out by the trus- 
tees of the congregation under the name or title of "The 
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Georgetown, D. C," to 
continue for one hundred vears. Nine vears later George- 




Rev. Geokgk a. Nixdorki', 
Pastor April, 1871-June 3, 1894. 



town was merged into the city of Washington and ceased 
to exist as a separate corporation, ddie corporate name of 
our church, however, has continued thus far unchanged. In 
June, 1888, a Ladies' Aid Society was organized by Mr. 
Nixdorff, and its history is full of good works. 

In October, 1894, Rev. Stanley Billheimer took up the 
work of this pastorate, reporting at that time a total of 25 
communicant members in the church, and 11 officers and 



21 



teachers and 45 scholars in the Sunday School. Mr. Bill- 
heimer was installed as pastor by Revs. J. G. Butler, D. D., 
Samuel Domer, D. D., and W. H. Gotwald, D. D., March 
19. 1895. During his pastorate of ten years, ending Octo- 
ber 31, 1904, the church membership increased to 78 com- 
municants, and the Sunday School enrolment to 8 officers 
and teachers and 82 scholars; and the church property was 
much improved on the exterior and in the interior at a cost 
of about $3,000. This included new flooring and carpet, 
new pulpit and chancel rail, new roof and metal ceiling, 




Rev. Stanley Billheimer, 
Pastor October 4, 1894-October 31, 1904. 

stained glass windows, removal of old gallery, outside vesti- 
bule built, church repainted inside and outside, cellar dug 
and furnace put in, new fence built, and electric lights in- 
troduced. A Children's Mission Band was begun in 1896. 
Rev. David Bittle Floyd, D. D., was called to the pas- 
torate and took up its duties April 1, 1905, but resigned 
five months later. September 10, 1905, to accept a theological 
professorship in Susquehanna University at Selinsgrove, 
Penna. During his short pastorate he nevertheless ren- 



•22 

(lered efficient service, added a niiniher to the cliurch, and 
introduced ])art of the historic Common Service. 

Rev. Luther Hess Waring. Pli. D.. the present pastor, 
began serving the congregtaion as acting pastor March 1. 
1906. On October 25th following, the congregation ex- 
tended him a formal call, to take effect November 1st, which 




Rev. David Bittle Floyd, D. D., 
Pastor April 1, 1903-Septeml)cr 10. 1905. 

he accepted ; and he was regularly installed as pastor Novem- 
ber 13, 1906, by Rev. Charles Reinewald of Emmitsburg. 
Md., the president of Maryland Synod, who also delivered 
the charge to the ])astor. Rev. C. V. Bergner, pastor of 
Zion r.utheran Church of this city, delivered the charge to 
the congregation. During the present ])astorate the active 
membership and the financial oi)erations of the church ha\-e 
materially increased: the benevolent contributions on synod.- 
ical apportionment ha\e l)een more than trebled ; a parish 
paper has been published: the church property has been im- 
proved by the construction of an iron fence around the en- 
tire frontage of the lot. the repainting of the church interior 



23 

and exterior, the purchase of new furniture, including a 
piano, and the establishment of a new church building fund 
that is already well beyond the thousand-dollar mark. All 
this has been accom]jlished, by the blessing of God, only with 
ihe support of a lo)-al people with a mind to work. We mav 
well take courage and trust (xod for the future. 




Rev. Luther Hess Waring, Ph. D., 
Pastor 1906— 

List of LAY DELEGATES who liavc represented the congre- 
gation at the annual meetings of jMaryland Synod from the 
time of its admission to that body to the present time : 

1871. 1872 and 1874. Tohn W. Eli. 
1890. Tohn H. Neuhaus. 
1897. Alex. P. Beatty. 

1899. M. I. Rohr. 

1900. W. S. Richardson. 

1901 and 1902. James M. Richardson. 

1903. William A. Pettis. 

1904. Alex. P. Beatty. 
1903. William A. Pettis. 



24 

1906. John S. Berryman. 

1907. John F. Darcev. 

1908. Charles L. Blessing. 

1909. M. W. Michael. 



.Amounts contribntccl by the congregation to benevolence, 
on the synodical apportionment, since entering Maryland 
Synod ■/ 

1872 $54.85 1891 $58.97 

1873 33.98 1892 74.78 

1874 27.95 1893 62.85 

1875 25.12 1894 40.96 

1876 22.82 1895 13.95 

1877 12.09 1896 23.25 

1878 13.80 1897 32.00 

1879 41.73 1898 32.25 

1880 (No record) 1899 20.00 

1881 20.41 1900 29.50 

1882 16.45 1901 20.75 

1883 17.60 1902 25.75 

1884 19.77 1903 48.90 

1885 16.86 1904 48.33 

1886 31.80 1905 48.45 

1887 26.17 1906 58.00 

1888 26.33 1907 100.00 

1889 35.00 1908 154.00 

1890 38.55 1909 169.00 

( irand total amount of monc}' raised b}- the congregation 
in all its departments of work for all purposes during the 
past 21 years, for which a full record is available: 

1889 $291.20 1900 $783.68 

1890 148.78 1901 682.44 

1891 174.72 1902 1,363.24 

1892 178.75 1903 1,089.37 

1893 279.92 1904 1,018.93 

1894 (No record) 1905 1,003.45 

1895 562.98 1906 1,304.68 

1896 814.40 1907 1,655.97 

1897 690.22 1908 1,377.24 

1898 782.75 1909 1,360.99 

1899 733.79 



These amounts do not include monies raised for benevolence by the 
Woman's Home and Foreign ATissionary Society and the Children's 
Mission Band. 



25 
PRESENT ORGANIZATION, NOVEMBER 1, 1909. 

Pastor: Rev. Luther Hess Waring, Ph. D., 1503 30th St., N. W. 

Elders: John F. Darcey, Henry F. Kunkel, Philip A. Moyer. 

Deacons: John S. Berryman, Alvin Cooper, James R. Hall, Wil- 
liam A. Pettis, Henry G. Wagner. 

Trustees: John S. Berryman, E. S. Walmer, D. V. S., and Henry 
G. Wagner. 

Treasurer: John F. Darcey, 3120 M St., N. W. 

Secretary: William A. Pettis, 3308 Reservoir St., N. W. 

SUNDAY SCHOOL. 

Superintendent, Henry F. Kunkel. 

Assistant Superintendent, William A. Pettis. 

Superintendent Primary Department, Miss Georgie Gray Wennek. 

Superintendent Cradle Roll, Mrs. J. R. Lang. 

Superintendent Home Department, Mrs. H. G. Wagner. 

Secretary, Anton Kracke, Jr. 

Assistant Secretary, William Albrecht. 

Birthday Secretary, Miss. Clara Hinzen. 

Treasurer, Alvin Cooper. 

Librarian, Ernest Loffler. 

Teachers, Miss Mattie Akard, Mrs. Helen Albert, Alvin Cooper. 

Henry F. Kunkel, Miss Katherine Muhlenberg, William A. 

Pettis, Mrs. Mary Scrivener, Rev. L. H. Waring, Mrs. L. H. 

Waring, Miss Georgie Gray Wenner, Miss Leonora Wise. 

LADIES' AID SOCIETY. 

President. Mrs. Henry G. Wagner. 
Vice-Pres., Mrs. George W. Allen. 
Secretary, Mrs. Henry F. Kunkel. 
Treasurer, Mrs. John S. Berryman. 

WOMAN'S HOME AND FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY. 

President, Miss Georgie Gray Wennek. 
Vice-Pres., Miss Katherine Muhlenberg. 
Recording Secretary, Mrs. Mary Scrivener. 
Corresponding Sec, Miss Georgie Gray Wenner. 
Treasurer, Miss Mattie Akard. 



CHILDREN'S MISSION BAND. 

Superintendent, Mrs. L. H. Waring. 
President, Margaret Kunkel. 
Vice-Pres., Martin Ricker. 
Secretary, Ruth Berryman. 
Treasurer, Margie Beatty. 
Librarian, Freddie Schafer. 



26 



COMMUNICANT MEMBERSHIP OF THE CHURCH. 



Albert, Mrs. Helen 
Albrecht, Mrs. Agnes 
Albrecht, Miss Emma 
Albrecht, William 
Allen, Miss Gertrude 
Allen, Miss Helen 
Allen, Mrs. George W. 
Beatty, Mrs. Alex. P. 
Beatty, Margie 
Bernstein, ^Irs. Emma 
Bernstein, Miss Hertha 
Bernstein, Edgar 
Berryman, John S. 
Berryman, Mrs. John S. 
Berryman, Ruth 
Berthiaume, Arthur M. 
Berthiaume, Mrs. A. M. 
Billheimer, Mrs. Stanley 
Blackman, Mrs. Anna 
Blessing, Mrs. Virginia 
Blessing, Charles T. 
Butts, J. Frank 
Cooper, Alvin 
Cramer, Mrs. C!ias. W. 
Darcey, John F. 
Dauber, Mrs. Carl W. 
Eli, Mrs. Josephine 
Emrich, Miss Henrietta 
Fearson, Mrs. Lillie Holt 
Fischer, Mrs. C. M. 
Fry, Mrs. Sarah E. 
Garrity, Mrs. Appolonia 
Garrity, James P. 
Gentzler, Chauncey 
Hall, James R. 
Hall, Mrs. James R. 
Hickerson, Miss Anna 
Hinzen, Miss Clara 
Hinzen, Ada 
Hinzen, Paul G. 
Holt, Mrs. Catharine 
Horn, Irving T. 
Hughes, Mamie 
Kracke, Mrs. .\nton 
Kracke, ,\nlon. Jr. 
Kues, William, Jr. 
Kunkel, Henry F. 
Kunkel, Mrs. Henrv F. 
Lang, Mrs. J. R. 
Leonljerger, Mrs. Frank 
Loffler, Ernest, Jr. 
Loffler, William 
Macomb, Mrs. Margaret 



Michael. M. W. 
Michael, Mrs. M. W. 
Moyer, George 
.Moyer, Philip A. 
Moyer, Mrs. P. A. 
Muhlenberg, Miss Katherine 
Neuhaus, August 
Neuhaus, Henry 
Pettis, Mrs. Elizabeth 
Pettis, William A. 
Pettis, Joseph 
Pettis, Mrs. Joseph 
Pfeifer, Miss Louisa 
Porter, Mrs. Edgar 
Purcell, Mrs. Eva 
Raab, Miss Augusta 
Raulin, Mrs. .\ugust 
Richardson, William N. 
Richardson, Mrs. Esther 
Rohr, Mrs. M. J. 
Schafcr, Frederick 
Schafcr, Mrs. Frederick 
Schlosser, Mrs. John 
Schlosser, Miss Thercsia 
Schlosser, Fred 
Schulze, Miss Barbara 
Schulze, Miss Minna 
Schulze, Samuel Luther 
Scrivener, Mrs. Mary 
Smoot, Charles 
Smoot, Mrs. Charles 
.Stombock, Philip 
Stombock, Mrs. Philip 
Stombock, Elmer 
Updike, Mrs. O. T. 
Wagner, Henry G. 
Wagner, Mrs. Henry G. 
Wagner, Charles H. 
Walmer, Dr. E. S. 
Walmer, Mrs. E. S. 
Walmer, Dr. M. II. 
Walmer, Mrs. M. II. 
Walsh, Mrs. Louisa 
Waring, Mrs. L. H. 
Wcimer, Miss Georgie Gray 
Wenner, Miss Emma 
Wise, James B. 
Wise, Mrs. Janu-- I!. 
Wise, Martin 
Wise, John L. 
Wise, Miss Leonora 
Zollner, Charles 
Zollner, Oscar 



27 

Lutheran Congregations in the City of 
Washington, 1909. 

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Georgetown, 
D. C, Wisconsin Avenue and Volta Place, N. W. 
First church built 1769. Pastor, Rev. Luther Hess 
Waring, Ph. D. 

Concordia (Lutheran and Reformed), 20th and G Streets, 
N. W. Organized 1833. Pastor, Rev. Paul A. Men- 
zel. 

St. Paul's, 11th and H Streets, N. W. Organized 1843. 
Pastor, Rev. John T. Huddle. 

Trinity, 4th and E Streets, N. W. Organized 1851. Pas- 
tor, Rev. H. G. Schroeder. 

St. JohnX 320 4>4 Street, S. W. Organized 1855. Pas- 
tor, Rev. George Brodthage, Ph. D. 

Zion, 6th and P Streets, N. W. Organized 1867. Pastor. 
Rev. C. F. Bergner. 

Church of the Reformation, B Street, near 2d Street, 
S. E. Organized 1870. Pastor, Rev. John Weidley, 

D. D. 

Luther Place Memorial, Thomas Circle, N. W. Organ- 
ized 1873. Pastor, Rev. Lloyd C. Douglas. 

Grace, 13th Street, opposite Corcoran Street, N. W. Or- 
ganized 1876. Pastor, Rev. J. E. A. Doermann. 

Church of Our Redeemer, 8th Street, N. W., north of 
Florida Avenue. Organized 1886. Pastor, Rev. D. E. 
Wiseman, D. D. 

St. Mark% 8th and B Streets, S. W. Organized 1889. 
Pastor, Rev. J. Luther Frantz. 

Keller Memorial, 9th Street and Marvland Avenue, N. 

E. Organized 1892. Pastor, Rev. Charles P. Wiles. 
Christ, Morgan Street and New Jersey Avenue, N. W. 

Organized 1892. Pastor, Rev. J. Frederic Wenchel. 

St. Matthews, D Street, between 10th and 11th Streets, 
N. E. Organized 1894. Pastor, Rev. F. W. Almen- 
dinger. 

Church of the Atonement, North Capitol and U Streets 
and R. I. Avenue, N. W. Organized 1905. Pastor, 
Rev. I. O. Baker. 

Independent Lutheran Church, 1322 Vermont Ave- 
nue, N. W. Organized 1909. Pastor. 



28 

Lutherans in the United States. ^ 

The l.iulieran Church in the United States numbers 8,180 
ministers. 13,238 congregations and 2,100,863 confirmed 
members. Of this number. 900,000 use the German, 600,- 
COO the Enghsh, 300,000 the Norwegian, 150,000 the 
Swedish, 22,000 the Danish, 13,000 the Finnish, 5,000 the 
Icelandic, and the remainder various other languages, in 
their church services. 

Lutherans in the World.*' 



Pastors. 

North America 8,180 

South .America 162 

Europe 27,272 

.\sia 669 

Africa 749 

Oceanica 270 

The World 38,102 





Baptized 


Churches. 


membership. 


13.504 


13.413,296 


347 


770,400 


40.314 


59.862,519 


2,579 


407,399 


2,871 


421,910 


770 


224,862 


60,385 


75,100.486 



»Lutheran Almanac and Year Book, 1909. 

'^Lutherans and Luther's Writings in all Lands, 1908, by Rev. J. N. 
Lenker, D. D. 



Press of Byron S. Adams, 
Washington, D. C. 





^'li^ 



